Middleweight · “The One”
Derek Brunson
24-9-0 UFC 14-7-0
Chain Wrestling
Smothering Control
Takedown-Proof
KO-Prone
6'1"Height
77"Reach
SouthpawStance
42Age
7KO wins
2Sub wins
64.3%Finish rate
8:34Avg fight
Skill profile
striking
not yet read
grappling
not yet read
wrestling
very good
1 read
cardio
not yet read
durability
not yet read
138 MMA anchors Wrestling · his tags and claims adjust Striking, TD Defense, Control · stats alone on Accuracy, Striking D, Durability, Grappling.
Chain Wrestling
36 takedowns from 114 attempts · 3.0 landed per 15 min
Smothering Control
39% of every fight spent in control position
Takedown-Proof
16 of 19 takedowns stuffed
KO-Prone
6 of 7 losses came by knockout
Career rates — the raw numbers behind the chart
Sig. strikes landed / min3.6
Sig. strikes absorbed / min3.18
Striking accuracy46.6%
Striking defense50.9%
Knockdowns / 15 min0.5
Takedowns / 15 min3.0
Takedown accuracy31.6%
Takedown defense84.2%
Sub attempts / 15 min0.58
Control time38.6%
Record vs .500+ opponents11-7
Insider info
vs Dricus Du Plessis coinflip UFC 285 Full Card Breakdown, Analysis, And Prediction · February 28, 2023
wrestlingvery good
calls it a genuinely hard pick and admits he could still flip back
A very good/solid wrestler -- good takedowns, good takedown defense, and top pressure as his main money-maker. A powerful but not polished striker. His cardio isn't quite what it used to be, though still okay. The analyst argues he is underrated given his 4-1 last-five record, with the only loss coming to a man who went on to fight for the title.
Strengthvery good/solid wrestler -- good takedowns, good takedown defense, strong top pressure
Strengthpowerful striker
Strengthrecord (4-1 last five) better than his public perception
Weaknesscardio isn't quite what it used to be
Weaknessstriking isn't his best path -- wrestling/top-pressure is
Striking trend
Fight history
L Dricus Du Plessis 18-2 walk-in KO/TKO · R2 4:59 — UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane · March 4, 2023
37/84Sig. strikes
71/115Absorbed
1/2Takedowns
2:30Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Jared Cannonier 14-5 walk-in KO/TKO · R2 4:29 — UFC 271: Adesanya vs. Whittaker 2 · February 12, 2022
43/97Sig. strikes
55/89Absorbed
3/13Takedowns
2:38Control
1Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Darren Till 18-3-1 walk-in Submission · R3 2:13 — UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till · September 4, 2021
41/84Sig. strikes
26/50Absorbed
3/6Takedowns
7:23Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Kevin Holland 21-5 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Holland · March 20, 2021
43/93Sig. strikes
36/74Absorbed
6/12Takedowns
16:55Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Edmen Shahbazyan 11-0 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 0:26 — UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan · August 1, 2020
88/145Sig. strikes
35/72Absorbed
4/8Takedowns
3:06Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Ian Heinisch 13-1 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 241: Cormier vs. Miocic 2 · August 17, 2019
81/185Sig. strikes
58/143Absorbed
2/10Takedowns
2:13Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Elias Theodorou 16-2 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy · May 4, 2019
56/94Sig. strikes
65/170Absorbed
4/9Takedowns
3:17Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Israel Adesanya 14-0 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 4:51 — UFC 230: Cormier vs. Lewis · November 3, 2018
3/14Sig. strikes
13/23Absorbed
0/7Takedowns
1:34Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Jacare Souza 7-2 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 3:50 — UFC Fight Night: Jacare vs. Brunson 2 · January 27, 2018
8/34Sig. strikes
9/21Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:00Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Lyoto Machida 22-7 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 2:30 — UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida · October 28, 2017
10/24Sig. strikes
3/10Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:03Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Daniel Kelly 6-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 1:16 — UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt · June 10, 2017
8/17Sig. strikes
1/4Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:02Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Anderson Silva 32-8 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 208: Holm vs. De Randamie · February 11, 2017
54/101Sig. strikes
43/78Absorbed
2/10Takedowns
3:48Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
L Robert Whittaker 16-4 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 4:07 — UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson · November 26, 2016
19/42Sig. strikes
33/58Absorbed
0/3Takedowns
1:12Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Uriah Hall 12-6 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 1:41 — UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson · September 17, 2016
4/7Sig. strikes
1/3Absorbed
0/3Takedowns
1:02Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Roan Carneiro 16-9 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 2:38 — UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs Cowboy · February 21, 2016
23/51Sig. strikes
0/13Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:42Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Sam Alvey 26-6 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 2:19 — UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs Saint Preux · August 8, 2015
27/45Sig. strikes
4/11Absorbed
0/1Takedowns
1:31Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Ed Herman 22-10 walk-in KO/TKO · R1 0:36 — UFC 183: Silva vs Diaz · January 31, 2015
11/18Sig. strikes
0/4Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:05Control
1Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Lorenz Larkin 14-3 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 177: Dillashaw vs Soto · August 30, 2014
12/30Sig. strikes
20/40Absorbed
4/12Takedowns
10:42Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
L Yoel Romero 6-1 walk-in KO/TKO · R3 3:23 — UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs Philippou · January 15, 2014
38/94Sig. strikes
60/94Absorbed
3/5Takedowns
2:58Control
0Knockdowns
0Sub attempts
W Brian Houston 0-0 walk-in Submission · R1 0:48 — UFC Fight Night: Fight for the Troops 3 · November 6, 2013
1/2Sig. strikes
0/1Absorbed
0/0Takedowns
0:30Control
1Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
W Chris Leben 22-9 walk-in Decision - Unanimous · R3 5:00 — UFC 155: Dos Santos vs Velasquez II · December 29, 2012
41/130Sig. strikes
40/94Absorbed
4/13Takedowns
7:22Control
0Knockdowns
1Sub attempts
Walk-in records count UFC bouts in this database. For the pre-UFC career, see the record breakdown below or the Tapology button up top.
Record breakdown
Wins by method
KO/TKO
11
Submission
5
Decision
8
Other
0
Losses by method
KO/TKO
7
Submission
0
Decision
2
Other
0
Fights by organization
UFC
21
Carolina's Summer Fight Series
3
Strikeforce
2
Strikeforce Challengers
2
PFL
1
ShoFight
1
World Extreme Fighting
1
XFP
1
+ 1 more organizations in the full career list
Full career — 33 fights, every organization
| Opponent | Method | Event | Org | Rd | Time | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | Ray Cooper III | Decision (unanimous) | PFL 10 (2023)
November 24, 2023 |
PFL | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Dricus du Plessis | TKO (corner stoppage) | UFC 285
March 4, 2023 |
UFC | 2 | 4:59 |
| L | Jared Cannonier | KO (elbows) | UFC 271
February 12, 2022 |
UFC | 2 | 4:29 |
| W | Darren Till | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Till
September 4, 2021 |
UFC | 3 | 2:13 |
| W | Kevin Holland | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Brunson vs. Holland
March 20, 2021 |
UFC | 5 | 5:00 |
| W | Edmen Shahbazyan | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan
August 1, 2020 |
UFC | 3 | 0:26 |
| W | Ian Heinisch | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 241
August 17, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Elias Theodorou | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Iaquinta vs. Cowboy
May 4, 2019 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Israel Adesanya | TKO (knees and punches) | UFC 230
November 3, 2018 |
UFC | 1 | 4:51 |
| L | Ronaldo Souza | KO (head kick and punches) | UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2
January 27, 2018 |
UFC | 1 | 3:50 |
| W | Lyoto Machida | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida
October 28, 2017 |
UFC | 1 | 2:30 |
| W | Dan Kelly | KO (punch) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Hunt
June 11, 2017 |
UFC | 1 | 1:16 |
| L | Anderson Silva | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 208
February 11, 2017 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Robert Whittaker | TKO (head kick and punches) | UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Brunson
November 27, 2016 |
UFC | 1 | 4:07 |
| W | Uriah Hall | TKO (punch) | UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Johnson
September 17, 2016 |
UFC | 1 | 1:41 |
| W | Roan Carneiro | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Cowboy
February 21, 2016 |
UFC | 1 | 2:38 |
| W | Sam Alvey | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs. Saint Preux
August 8, 2015 |
UFC | 1 | 2:19 |
| W | Ed Herman | TKO (punches) | UFC 183
January 31, 2015 |
UFC | 1 | 0:36 |
| W | Lorenz Larkin | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 177
August 30, 2014 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Yoel Romero | TKO (punches and elbows) | UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs. Philippou
January 15, 2014 |
UFC | 3 | 3:23 |
| W | Brian Houston | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC: Fight for the Troops 3
November 6, 2013 |
UFC | 1 | 0:48 |
| W | Chris Leben | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 155
December 29, 2012 |
UFC | 3 | 5:00 |
| L | Ronaldo Souza | KO (punches) | Strikeforce: Rousey vs. Kaufman
August 18, 2012 |
Strikeforce | 1 | 0:41 |
| L | Kendall Grove | Decision (split) | ShoFight 20
June 16, 2012 |
ShoFight | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Nate James | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce Challengers: Britt vs. Sayers
November 18, 2011 |
Strikeforce Challengers | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Lumumba Sayers | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Henderson
July 30, 2011 |
Strikeforce | 1 | 4:33 |
| W | Jeremy Hamilton | Decision (unanimous) | Strikeforce Challengers: Fodor vs. Terry
June 24, 2011 |
Strikeforce Challengers | 3 | 5:00 |
| W | Danny Babcock | KO (punch) | World Extreme Fighting 45
January 22, 2011 |
World Extreme Fighting | 1 | 1:07 |
| W | Rhomez Brower | TKO (submission to punches) | XFP: The Holiday Fight Fest
December 4, 2010 |
XFP | 1 | 2:27 |
| W | Todd Chattelle | TKO (punches) | ICE: Fright Night 2010
October 29, 2010 |
ICE | 1 | 0:14 |
| W | Edward Jackson | KO (punches) | Carolina's Summer Fight Series 3
July 31, 2010 |
Carolina's Summer Fight Series | 1 | 0:41 |
| W | Chris McNally | KO (punches) | Carolina's Summer Fight Series 2
June 26, 2010 |
Carolina's Summer Fight Series | 1 | 1:42 |
| W | John Bryant | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Carolina's Summer Fight Series 1
May 22, 2010 |
Carolina's Summer Fight Series | 1 | 0:52 |
Career history from the fighter's Wikipedia record table (Derek Brunson) — results only, no strike stats; UFC bouts are marked and carry full stats in the fight history above.
Division context
Headshot of Derek Brunson by UFC · Official UFC athlete photo (copyright UFC; not freely licensed) · Wikimedia Commons · flattened onto dark background, cropped/resized